Apparatus for processing oils



Nov. 24, 1942. R. P. DuNMrm-av '2,303,262

APPARATUS' FOR PROCESSING OIL Filed Aug. 15, 1940 4 .Sheets-Sheet 1 p' INVENTOR l w ATTORI7 NV 24 1942- R. P. DUNMIRE 2,303,262

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING OIL INVENTOR fm @W Nv.z4,1942. Rpuuma ,y .42,303,262y

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING OIL Filed Aug. 15, 1940 4 Slheefts-Sheet 3 `Vis/vr Ifrgo A f P'IINVENTOR NEYS fNav. 24, 1942. R P.'DuNM|RE APPARATUS FOR PRGGESSINGOII..V

Filed Aug. 15, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4' INVENTOR www 2222,

Patented Nov. 24, 1942 APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING OILS Russell P. Dunmire, Alliance, Ohio, assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to The Buckeye Laboratories, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Application August 15, 1940, Serial No. 352,823

claims.

My invention relates generally to an improved apparatus for the treatment of hydrocarbons, and has for o-ne of its objects the refining or rerefining of such materials.

More specifically this invention rela-tes to the treatment of mineral hydrocarbons of a lubricating nature or of an insulating nature, vegetable oils and fats, waxes, etc., all of which are subject to more or less deterioration when exposed to air, moisture, metals or other agents which cause contamination such as oxidation, polymer'- ization, etc., or contamination by solid materials in suspension.

Take, for example, lubricating oils, it has been found that although the most modern methods may be used in the treatment of these oils, yet certain undesirable properties remain in such lubricants which should be removed. It is appreciated by those skilled in the art that, in use, lubricating oils are subject to contamination by water, both free and in solution, metal particles, dust and other impurities such as air both free and dissolved. I have found also that varying shock loads detrimentally affect such oils. Under such trying conditions many contaminants appear in the oil which deleterio-usly affect the same so far as its use as a lubricant is concerned. I shall make no attempt to exhaust the subject but I might say that some of these contaminants are sludges caused by excessive heating, free and amorphous carbon, stable and unstable emulsions, polymerization products, soluble and insoluble resins and gums, acids, soaps, asphaltic sludges, etc. Free acids, dissolved gases and free water as well as other contaminants also are present in the oil. Lubricating oils also become discolored with use. So far as lubricating oils are concerned, the presence of these various materials causes excessive bearing wear, overheated bearings, increases internal oil friction and reduces the lm strength.

Respecting insulating oils:v Such oilsare subjected to contamination and deterioration as the result of contact of the heated oil with air or certain other gases, both free and in solution, and by reason of its contact with metal surfaces. For example, in the case of circuit breakers, I have found that the presence of air which contains water vapor, oxygen, nitrogen, dust, etc., causes slow sludging and water condensation. The arc action of the circuit breaker produces carbon in suspension and precipitated; the carbon is also precipitated on the terminals and oil gas and hydrogen are produced as Well as some oil deterioration from the arc, carbonization of the oil, decreased rupture capacity, explosion hazard and possible failure of the breaker. Again in the case of electric transformers, water, gas in solution, organic fluids and volatiles, organic acids, sludges, resinous bodies, compounds, tars, pitches and oxyasphaltic compounds are produced due to the heat from operation of the transformer. This, of course, lowers the insulation value of the oils, increases the power factor or dissipation factor, prevents proper heat dissipation and induces gas-pocket formation, creates explosion hazards and volatile corrosion, promotes power factor losses and possible failure of the equipment. I might mention also that in the case of oils insulated electric cables thehigh electric stresses due to operation of the cable cause deterioration of the insulating oils in much the same fashion as in the case of transformers, the effect of which may be failure of the cable 'due to ionization, Wax formation, a decrease in resistivity and an increase in power factor. v

I have discovered in connection with fats and waxes that the products of `oxidation together with free water anddissolvedgases cause discoloration 'of the fats and waxes and in many cases liberate unsaturated compounds and form insoluble resins, gums, soaps and various types of sludge impurities.

The present invention provides an apparatus for the removalof the impurities or contamif. nants above referred to and is useful. for the treatment or refining of new and unused oils as well as the rereiining of used oils.

Several embodiments of my invention have been shown in the accompanying drawings but in all forms my invention comprehends the treatment of oils by adsorption treatment with the ut-v most efficiency. It might be mentioned that treatment of oils by adsorption` is more easily handled than by treatment by other methods and is of decided advantage over other methodsin that it doesnot involve the hazards encountered in thererening of oils wherein, for example, alkalies yand acids are employed. The adsorptive treatmenthas this further advantage that it removes many undesirable constituents instead of merely changing them to temporarily inactive forms.

My apparatus 'involves'the removal of water` light volatile unsaturates, kerosene and products of a like nature by low temperature vacuum distillation. Higher boiling, high molecular Weight 'compounds such as sludges, acids, waxes,

unsaturates. The effect of all of this is rapid soaps, varnish, gums, resins and polymerized compounds built up during service or use and excessive oxidation are removed by adsorption.

The removal of solid substances such as dust, grit, metallic particles and most colloidal size substances by the use of my apparatus produces, when treating unused oil, a better product than produced by equipment now in use, and when I employ my apparatus for the rerening of used oils I find that I am able to produce a product which is better than the original.

As above mentioned, several embodiments of my invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is one embodiment of my invention in part sectional elevation;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of anotherl embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a part sectional elevational view of still another embodiment of my invention; andy Fig. 4 shows in part sectional elevation a further embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail and first of all to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 1: 2 designates a storage tank for the oils to be treated. This tank carries a hand or power operated pump 4, the discharge side of which is connected through the line 6 to' a slurry mixer 8, whereby the' oils' may be transferred or conducted tothe mixer. The tank 2 is preferably of sufficientcapacity` to permit precipitation ofy solid materials and sludges and is preferably heated as by steam, for example, to reduce operating costs.

The slurry mixer 3 is in the form of a closed container equipped with paddles Ill adapted to be rotated, for example, through the medium' of hand crank I2. The slurry mixer 8 is of suflicient capacity to accommodate a batch of the oils to be' treated plus the maximum amount of adsorbent material required.

The adsorbent material from any suitable supply source is introduced into the slurry mixer through a suitablel opening 9 in the top of the mixer. After thev slurry mixer hasbeen charged the paddles I are actuated by the crank I2 until the oil and adsorbent material are thoroughly mixed.

Various materials may be employed as the ad'- sorbent medium such, for example, as bone char, carbon black, fullers earth or such materials known commercially as FiltroL I4- designates a closed retort connected to the bottom of the mixer 8 by pipe line II for the transfer of the slurry from the slurry mixer to the retort.

The retort I4 is electrically heatedby electric heaters I thermostatically controlled by thermostat I B so as to prevent overheating of the retort and injury tothe material being treated therein. The retort, it will be understood, in practice is. heat insulated' so as to decrease heat radiation. losses.

Mounted on the top of the retort is an electric motor I8 ofthe explosion-proof ,fan-cooled' type.

This motor is mounted vertically and connected to its armature shaft and extending vertically downwardly into the retort is a shaft carrying a foam breaker 22 near the upper end ofthe retort, al propeller 28 at its lower" end adjacent thel retort outlet 26' and an intermediate impeller 24; The retort is'furtherequipped' with a steam generator 3!! to which water is supplied by water measuring device 3I. This. device is a forced feed type measuring chamber. equipped with a proper size orice for controlling the rate of ow of water to the steam generator.

The agitator or impeller 24 is designed to agitate the oil at the proper velocity to secure the most eicient rate of heat transfer and also to obtain maximum contact of the oil with the adsorbent material with the minimum amount of adsorbent material. The adsorbent material may or may not be activated.

Transfer of the slurry from the slurry mixer 8 to the retort I4 is conveniently effected by air pressure, an air compressor (not shown) being employed in the line 32 communicating with the top of the slurry mixer.

After a batch of slurry has been made up in the, mixer 8, air pressure is applied thereto through the line 32 to effect transfer of the slurry to the retort through the line II. The motor I-BA and electrical heaters I5 are then energized.

At one side of the retort I4 and mounted upon the housing 94' I provide a condensate tank 34 equipped in its upper part with condenser coils 36. Mounted on the top of this condensate tank is a vacuum pump 38 driven by electric motor 48.

The condensate tank 34 is supplied With water froml a suitable source of supplyl by way of' pipe line 42, this water flowing through an oil cooler d4 which is mounted adjacent the slurry mixer 8, the water passing from the oil cooler by way of line 46 to the condensate tank.

After the agitator motor I8 is started and the electric heaters I5 have been energized, the motor 40 driving the vacuum pump 38 is started and the valve 43 in the water line 42 is opened to admit cooling water to the condensate tank 34. It is to be noted that during heating and contacting the oil in the retort I4 the discharge valve 48 for the retort I4 remains closed. As the oil and adsorbent material in the retort I4 are being heated and agitated certain gasesV or light volatile constituents are driven off or removed by means of the vacuum pump 38 which is connected to the retort through a tracefler or series of baffles 58 which is a device for separating globules of liquid from gases. The bottom of this traceer is connected through a valve 52 with the retort so that the collected liquids in the traceer will drain back to the retort for retreatment.

The gases drawn olf by the vacuum pump pass through the pump to the condenser 36 Where the condensiblel constituents change from vapor to a liquid and collect in the condensate tank 34 from the bottom of which they may be drained periodically through drain 35.

Sight glass 54 is provided on the side of the condensate tank for observing the rate at which the distillate is drained from the condenser to the condensate tank 34. Provision is made to vent the distillate to atmosphere through pipe xhich communicates with the' interior of the The development of excessive pressure in the retort I4 is prevented by relief valve 58.

After the material in the retort I4 reaches the proper temperature, Water from source 42 is introduced into the steam generator 30 to be released therefrom in the form of superheated steam which thoroughly strips the gases from the oil and aids in the deodorization of the oil.

The material in the retort I4 is now ready to be separated from the adsorbent material.

Carried by the housing 94 just below the outlet valve 48 of the retort I4 is a primary filter 60.

This filter is in the nature of a dome-like structure having a bottom 62 which is adapted to be raised and lowered through toggle mechanism 64 conveniently actuated by a hand Wheel 66 which is at the exterior of the housing 94.`

The lter medium is designated 68 and takes the form of a web of paper, cloth or very fine mesh screen extending from supply reel 10 across the upper face of the bottom 62 of the lter to take-up reel 12. When the lter 60 is to be operated, toggle mechanism 64 is operated to close the bottom 62, the filter mediumv 68 functioning not only as a filter but as a sealing gasket. One form of filter medium 68 which I have employed very successfully is kraft filter paper. This contains no coloring matter or chemicals that will injure the oil. With the bottom 62 in closed position the discharge valve 48 for the retort I4 is opened to admit of the discharge of the oil and the adsorbent material from the retort I4 into the filter 60. It will be understood that the filter 60 is of the proper capacity to accommodate the batch of material discharging from the retort I4. The oil` passing through the filter medium 68 flows to the oil cooler 44 already referred to by way of the line 14. In this connection I might add that I find the paper 68 successfully prevents the discharge of solid materialsv while the filter cake is being formed on the paper.

The purpose of providing the oil cooler 44 is to cool the oil so as to reduce oxidation resulting from exposure to the air while the oil is in a highly heated condition. This oil cooler 44 consists of steel coils Within a steel chamber.

The cooling surface has sufficient area to cool the oil to a temperature below which it will not be readily oxidized by contact with air. As above mentioned, water from a suitable source of supply is used as the cooling medium.

Connected to the bottom of the oil cooler 44 is a secondary filter 16. This filter is of the glass cloth type and is employed as a precautionary measure absolutely to prevent likelihood of any solid materials from being discharged with the oil leaving the equipment. Such particles of materials would, of course, cause serious damage to expensive machinery in which the oil may be used. This filter is installed in a fabricated steel case and is readily removable for washing and cleaning. This glass cloth is not affected by oil, i

sent or, if desired, by back-blowing with steaml or with air from the air line 32.

After leaving the filter 16 the liquid passes by way of pipe 18 through a look box or sight glass 80 to an additive gauge or proportioning device 82 and from thence to the clean liquid storage tank 84. The additive device 82 contains oxidation material such as hydroquinone, for example, and materials capable of restoring the oiliness of the oils being treated or to add to lor increase the oiliness of the oils such as alcohols, esters and ketones. The additive may be introduced into the oils by opening the valve 86 which is in the line connected to the air line 32.

Referring again to the primary filter 60, the bottom 62 is provided with a series of graduated metallic screens 88 which lie beneath and support the filter medium 68. These screens avoid danger of the medium 68 being punctured when paper is used even when the apparatus is operating at high filtration pressures.

It is to be noted also that the filter medium 68 passes over guide rollers 90 so as properly to 75 control the position of the filter medium 68 with respect to the bottom 62 of the primary lter.

'In the treatment of the material in the retort I4 care is exercised that the temperature of the material be kept below the iiash point of the oils being treated and as will be understood the thermostat I6l is properly set for this purpose. The temperature of the mixture in the retort I4 is approximately Within 50 to 150 of the flash point of mineral oil.

After a batch of material has been treated and the clean material stored in the tank 84, the discharge valve 48 of the retort I4 is again closed and the bottom 62 of the lter is lowered. Takeup roller 12 may then be rotated so as to draw the dirty filter medium and filter cake away from ,the face of the bottom 62, replacing the same with clean lter medium, the dirty filter medium being wound up on the rewind roll 12 and the filter cake being discharged into refuse tank 92. The apparatus is then ready for another cycle of operation.

The slurry mixer 8, oil cooler 44, the secondary lter 16, refuse tank 92 and the bottom of the primary filter 60 are all enclosed in the casing 94, above referred to, and the top of which provides a support for the primary lter 60, the retort I4 as Well as the condensate tank 34, condenser 36, vacuum pump 3x8 and driving motor 40 therefor. This casing or housing is provided with a vent pipe 96 for conducting any fumes from the housing to the atmosphere.v

The apparatus of Fig. 2 is the same in all respects as that just described except for the fact that the vacuum pump 38 is mounted beneath the condensate tank 34 and is operable as a vacuum pump to maintain a reduced pressure in the retort I4 or as an air compressor to effect transfer of the slurry from the slurry mixer 8 to the retort and to force the material in the filter 60 through the filter medium by air pressure and tlc provide for back-blowing the secondary filter It will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 2 that the low pressure side of the pump 38 has a line 98 which is equipped with a valve |00 and is connected to the lower end of the condenser coil 36. The upper end of this coil is connected to tracefier 50. Connected to the other side of the pump 38 is a line |02 equipped with valves |04 and |06 and in communication with the upper part of the slurry mixer 8. Branching from this line |02 is line |08 equipped with valve ||0 and in communication with the upper part of the body of the filter 50. The line |02 also has a branch 2 equipped with valve 4, this branch ||2 leading to the top of the secondary lter 16.

In the use of this apparatus when the slurry 'in the ymixer 8 is to be transferred to the retort 4 the pump 38 is operated as a compressor at which time air inlet valve 8, valves |04 and |06 will be opened, While valves |00, H6, ||0 and I4 will be closed, so that the slurry will be forced out of the mixer to the retort. When the material in the retort |4 is being processed the pump '38 is operated as a vacuum pump under which `conditions the valve |00 is open, the valves ||0,

|64. |06 and ||4 are closed and vent valve ||6 is opened, the pump under these conditions operating to draw the gases and light volatile constituents from the retort into the condenser 36.

In the primary ltering operation, the pump 38 is operated as an air compressor under which conditions the valves |00, H6, |04, 66 and ||4- are closed and the valve ||0 and air inlet valve III!A opened. 'I'his operation, of course, will force the material from the filter 6I] by air pressure through the iilter medium 68, oil cooler 44 and secondary filter 'IB to storage tank 84. When it is desired to back-blow the secondary lter 16, the pump 38 will be operated as a compressor, valves II8, IIl4 and II4 will be opened and valves |30, I I6, I IIJ and IUS will be closed.

' It is to be noted also that the vent line 56 for the condensate tank 34 in this embodiment of my invention extends to the Vent pipe 96.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 3 the adsorbent material is added to the oil or other material being treated in the retort I4 as distinguished from employing the slurry mixer 3 of Figs. -l and 2.

IZB designates a hopper for adsorbent material connected by conduit I22 to the retort I4. The conduit I22 is provided with metering valves |24 operated by lever |26 whereby a measured quantity of adsorbent material is metered out of the hopper for delivery to the retort. Operation of the pump 38 as a vacuum pump will, of course, effect transfer of the metered adsorbent material to the retort.

In this embodiment of my invention the material which has passed through the filtering medium 68 is drawn by way of pipe line I28 through an air oil cooler I3!) which is driven by the motor which drives the vacuum pump 38, the oil after passing through the air cooler being discharged to the secondary filter 'IS by way of the pipe line or conducting means |32.

The water for the condenser 36 is supplied by line 31.

In this embodiment of my invention the material charged into the filter 68 is forced through the filter by operating the pump 3=8 as a compressor.

Practically the entire equipment of Fig. 3 is enclosed in a housing |34.

The apparatus of Fig. 4 is in general similar to the apparatus described in connection with Fig. 3 in that the adsorbent material is charged directly to the retort I4 instead of being miXed with the oil in a slurry mixer.

The vacuum pump 38 and its driving motor 40 are mounted directly on the top of the retort instead of, as in Fig. 1, being mounted on the r top of the condensate tank. In this embodiment of my invention also I have omitted the filter medium 68 of the other figures of the drawings and I employ instead a removable lter cake |36 which is carried by the bottom B2 of the primary filter B0.

In this embodiment of my invention also the motor I8 drives the impellers, etc., in the retort I4 as well as the vacuum pump 38 instead of employing two motors as in the other embodiments of my invention.

It is to be understood that in the several embodiments of my invention above described changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts within the purview of my invention.

What I claim is:

l'. In an apparatus for treating oils, the combination of a heated retort for the contacting of the oil and an adsorbent, a slurry mixer for slurrying the oil and adsorbent material outside the retort, an air line for building up pressure 1n the slurry mixer to effect transfer of the slurry to the retort, a filter for filtering the material as the same is discharged from the retort, an .oil cooler series connected to the filter, a secondary filter for filtering the cooled oil, a storage tank connected to the secondary filter, and a connection from said air line to the secondary filter for back-blowing the same.

2. In an apparatus for treating oil and removing impurities therefrom, the combination of a heated retort having an enclosed side wall, a top and a bottom for receiving an adsorbent material and the oil to be treated, said retort having an outlet opening located substantially in the bottom thereof, the side wall in the region of the lowermost part of the retort converging in a downward direction and meeting with the said bottom opening in the retort and forming a progressively constricted portion in advance of said outlet opening, a discharge valve having a movable member and a casing with a port extending therethrough connected in communication with the bottom opening in the retort, said casing of the valve being connected directly to the retort to minimize the space for the adsorbent material to clog the bottom opening in advance of the movable member of the valve, a motor mounted on the outside of the retort, a shaft driven by the motor and extending Within the retort and terminating near the said bottom opening in the retort, an agitating device driven by the shaft well within the restricted portion of the retort to agitate the mixture of the oil and the adsorbent material during treatment and to substantially prevent clogging of the adsorbent material in advance of the valve, a vacuum pump connected to communicate with the retort to draw off the water and the low volatile impurities during treatment of the oil in the retort, and a filter connected to the valve below the retort to receive the mixture of the oil and the adsorbent material subsequent to treatment in the retort for separating the adsorbent material with its adsorbed impurities from the oil being treated to recover the latter.

3. In an apparatus for treating oil and removing impurities therefrom, the combination of a heated retort having an enclosed side wall, a top and a bottom for receiving an absorbent material and the oil to be treated, said retort having an outlet opening located substantially in the bottom thereof, the side wall in the region of the lowermost part of the retort converging in a downward direction and meeting with the said bottom opening in the retort and forming a progressively constricted portion in advance of said outlet opening, a discharge valve having a movable member and a casing with a port extending therethrough connected in communication with the bottom opening in the retort, said casing of the valve being connected directly to the retort to minimize the space for the absorbent materiall to clog the bottom opening in advance of the movable member of the valve, a motor mounted on the outside of the retort, a shaft driven by themotor and extending withir. the retort and terminating near the said bottom opening in the retort, an agitating device driven by the shaft well Within the restricted portion of the retort to agitate the mixture of the oil and the adsorbent material during treatment and to substantially prevent clogging of the adsorbent material in advance of the valve, a steam generator, conduit means for introducing steam to the retort within the restricted portion thereof, a vacuum pump connected in communication with the retort to draw oi the Water and the low volatile impurities during treatment of the oil in the retort, and a lter connected to the valve below the retort to receive the mixture of the oil and the adsorbent material subsequent to treatment in the retort for separating the adsorbent material with its adsorbent impurities from the oil being treated to recover the latter.

4. In an apparatus for treating oil and removing impurities therefrom, the combination of a heated retort having an enclosed side Wall, a top,v and a bottom for receiving an adsorbent material and the oil to be treated, said retort having an outlet opening located substantially in the bottom thereof, the side Wall in the region of the lowermost part of the retort converging in a downward direction and meeting with the said bottom opening in the retort and forming a progressively constricted portion in advance of said outlet opening, a discharge valve having a movable member and a casing with a port extending therethrough connected in communication with the bottom opening in the retort, said casing of the valve being connected directly to the retort to minimize the space for the adsorbent material to clog the bottom opening in advance of the movable member of the valve, a motor mounted on the outside of and above the top of the retort, a shaft driven by the motor and extending downwardly through the top of the retort and terminating near the said bottom opening in the retort, an agitating device driven by the shaft Well Within the restricted portion of the retort to agitate the mixture of the oil and the adsorbent material during treatment and to substantially prevent clogging of the adsorbent material in advance of the valve, a vacuum pump connected in communication with the retort to draw off the water and the low volatile impurities during treatment of the oil in the retort, a lter positioned beneath the retort and the valve to receive the mixture of the oil and the adsorbent material' subsequent to treatment in the retort for separating the adsorbent material with its adsorbed impurities from the oil being treated to recover the latter, an oil cooler connected to receive the filtered oil from the lter, and a secondary filter for ltering the cooled oil to render the inally treated oil in a clean state,

5. In an apparatus for treating oil and removing impurities therefrom, the combination of a heated retort having an enclosed side Wall, a top and a bottom for receiving an adsorbent material and the oil to be treated, a slurry mixer for slurrying the adsorbent material and the oil to be treated outside of the retort, a transfer conduit interconnecting theslurry mixer and the retort, means for establishing a differential pressure between the retort and the slurry mixer to transfer the slurry from the slurry mixer to the retort, said retort having an outlet opening located substantially in the bottom thereof, the side Wall in the region of the lowermost part of the retort converging in a downward direction and meeting With the said bottom opening in the retort and forming a progressively constricted portion in advance of said outlet opening, a discharge valve having a movable member and a casing with a port extending therethrough connected in communication with the bottom opening in the retort, said casing of the valve being connected directly to the retort to minimize the space for the adsorbent material to clog the bottom opening in advance of the movable member of the valve, a 'motor mounted on the outside of the retort, a shaft driven by the motor and extending within the retort and terminating near the said bottom opening in the retort, an agitating device driven by the shaft well within the restricted portion of the retort to agitate the mixture of the oil and the adsorbent material during treatment and to substantially prevent clogging of the adsorbent material in advance of the valve, a vacuum pump connected in communication with the retort to draw 01T the Water and the low volatile impurities during treatment of the oil in the retort, and a lter connected to the valve below the retort to receive the mixture of the oil and the adsorbent material subsequent to treatment in the retort for separating the adsorbent material With its adsorbent impurities from the oil being treated to recover the latter.

RUSSELL P- DUNLUBE 

